2012 Lexus ES350 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
3 safety recalls list the 2012 Lexus ES350, and owners have filed 89 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
3 safety recalls for the 2012 Lexus ES350
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Inflator module (air bags)
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2010-2016 4Runner, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2003-2013 Corolla, 2009-2010 Corolla Matrix, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2011-2013 Sienna, 2008-2012 Scion xB, 2008-2009 Lexus IS-F, 2007-2012 Yaris and Lexus ES350, 2010-2017 Lexus GX460, 2002-2010 Lexus SC430, 2006-2012…
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front driver inflator, front passenger airbag inflator, the airbag assembly, or the front passenger airbag sub-assembly and inflator.…
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Inflator module (air bags)
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Toyota 4Runner, 2014-2015 Scion xB, Lexus IS350C, IS250C, 2014 Toyota Sienna, Lexus IS-F, and 2014-2017 Lexus GX460 vehicles sold, or ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina,…
Remedy: Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, or replace the air bag assembly. The recall began February 15, 2019. Owners may contact Toyota…
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Inflator module (air bags)
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South…
Remedy: Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly, free…
89 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2012 Lexus ES350 have filed 89 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a crash and 2 describe a fire. Reports cite 3 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 43,955 miles. Complaints peaked in 2017 with 73 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 2012 Lexus ES350. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the key was detected, and trunk open warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the doors would lock and unlo”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 28, 2021 · Electrical system
“Tl* the contact owns a 2012 lexus es350. The contact stated that the door locks failed to latch securely when the doors were closed. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer who stated that the door”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 4, 2020 · Latches/locks/linkages
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2012 Lexus ES (ES 350). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 22 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 19 / 27 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 3.5 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (S6) |
Compare Lexus ES350 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Lexus ES350 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 Lexus ES350 | 4 | 465 |
| 2008 Lexus ES350 | 4 | 255 |
| 2009 Lexus ES350 | 5 | 145 |
| 2010 Lexus ES350 | 5 | 137 |
| 2011 Lexus ES350 | 3 | 153 |
| 2012 Lexus ES350 | 3 | 89 |
| 2013 Lexus ES350 | 1 | 23 |
| 2014 Lexus ES350 | 1 | 16 |
| 2015 Lexus ES350 | 1 | 16 |
| 2016 Lexus ES350 | 1 | 21 |
| 2017 Lexus ES350 | 1 | 22 |
| 2018 Lexus ES350 | 2 | 5 |
| 2019 Lexus ES350 | 2 | 5 |
| 2020 Lexus ES350 | 1 | 5 |
| 2021 Lexus ES350 | 0 | 5 |
| 2022 Lexus ES350 | 0 | 2 |
| 2023 Lexus ES350 | 0 | 1 |
Checking a specific 2012 Lexus ES350
How do I know if my 2012 Lexus ES350 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 2012 Lexus ES350; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Lexus dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 17V006000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Lexus models
- RX957 complaints
- RX350808 complaints
- RX300722 complaints
- IS 250719 complaints
- ES300681 complaints
- ES668 complaints
- IS596 complaints
- RX330526 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.